Richard Sherman and the microscope of racism in society

 

After a great football game last Sunday between the Seattle Seahawks vs. the San Francisco 49ers the attention immediately went to Cornerback Richard Sherman. He had a controversial post game interview with Erin Andrews (which can be seen here). This interview didn't really upset me as much the way Sherman continued to taunt his opponent after he made a terrific play to seal the victory for his team.

My personal opinions on Sherman in regards to sportsmanship is one thing, but I think the most disappointing aspect out of all of this is how people reacted to Richard Sherman using derogatory racial slurs against him. I think Sherman is coming to the realization that his post game reaction might have been a bit immature. His frustration of people him calling him a "thug" is something that I empathize with. Sherman is the furthest thing from a thug. He might have grown up in a neighborhood where gang violence and drugs were a huge part of his surroundings, but he used his talents and academic skills to earn himself a degree from Stanford University. He is very outspoken, and very confident of his athletic abilities, but he is not a thug. If Sherman was Caucasian, would he be labeled a thug or "a really competitive and outspoken individual."

This is not the first time this has happened when a minority athlete has made a mistake on the field and people immediately use race as a scapegoat to pass blame on the player. Kolten Wong a Second Basemen for the St. Louis Cardinals was picked off in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Here are some of the reactions people said on twitter in light of his mistake on the field.

Social Media has opened up a can of worms which has created a boldness in which people can freely say what is on their mind. Was it better when we didn't know what people were truly thinking? Why is it that when a minority makes a mistake on the field, race is one of the first things that is attacked? In essence have we not progressed from when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional baseball? He was harassed, called the n-word, and had objects thrown at him. NaVarro Bowman gets hurt trying make a play and is carted off the field with popcorn being thrown on him, as the game continues as if nothing has happened. Does society view athletes as the modern day gladiator? A source of entertainment that is distant, soulless and sub human. An athletes only value is that they entertain us. But at what cost? This detachment from the player to fan creates a barrier that allows us to easily say negative things and have loose tongues. In the two examples of Sherman and Wong, the loose tongue has revealed the true feelings of someone because of the color of their skin.

I don't approve of Richard Sherman's antics but please do not judge him because of the color of his skin, his long dreads and the place where he grew up. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of a player. Whether they think she is a good player or bad player, whether she shows good sportsmanship or is a sore loser, but never should we judge a player by the color of their skin. Why aren't we passed this yet?